Vail closes deal to buy Australian ski resort for $135 million

Vail Resorts Inc. has acquired its first international ski area for about $134.8 million.

The Broomfield-based company announced Tuesday that it closed the deal for Perisher in New South Wales, Australia. The resort is the largest and most visited in Australia and is relatively close to Sydney and Melbourne.

Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz said in the leadup to the deal that the decision to buy the 3,000-acre resort was aimed at driving season pass sales and building loyalty with guests from around the world.

Katz told The Denver Post in March that not many people travel from the United States to Australia to ski, but “there are huge amounts of Australians going to the U.S., and they tend to come for 10 to 14 days and travel in January, which is an off-peak time.”